WSJ.com: The Expat Life

The Expat Signs Off

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:45:42 EDT

Having achieved closure with much of his life in China after a return visit to Beijing, Alan Paul bids farewell to readers.

An Old Friend Searches for the Right Path

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:17:26 EDT

On a return trip to China, Alan Paul reconnects with his old Chinese teacher who is torn between living the spiritual life of a monk and embracing the modern world.

An Expat's Exotica

Fri, 08 May 2009 04:57:05 EDT

Living in Beijing may seem exotic to some, but Alan Paul reserves his deepest respect for those expats who choose to locate further off the beaten path.

Who Knew? Coming Home Is Hard

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:50:32 EDT

Readers acknowledge that returning from abroad can be more difficult than one would expect -- sometimes more difficult than leaving in the first place.

It's China, or the Job

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:38:31 EDT

Spouses whose partners are offered an overseas assignment often must choose between their work and going abroad -- an especially difficult decision in the weak economy.

Combating the Repatriation Blues

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:16:05 EDT

When you are a returning expat, one way to lessen your sense of loss when you move home is to find other people like you.

Some Expats Choose to Stay Overseas

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:26:08 EST

Some middle-aged, mid-career expats with families choose to cut ties with their employer and stay abroad rather than heed the call to return home.

Olympics Real, and Surreal, At Last

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:04:00 EDT

After years of anticipation, the Olympics have finally arrived in China, and Alan Paul finds himself covering them in a strangely American-tinged, bubble-like enclave with little relation to the Beijing he knows.

After the Quake, the Tug of Solidarity

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:56:00 EDT

China's earthquake brought down many barriers between locals and Westerners as people came together to help.

World Cup Brings Nations Together in Beijing

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 14:54:00 EDT

China is gripped with World Cup fever, and Alan Paul gets caught up in the excitement.